Bug Catcher v1 — Parametric Catch & Release Box

A humane, 3D-printable bug catcher designed to safely catch and release insects without harming them. Slide the tray open, place it over the bug, slide the tray closed, and walk it outside. The locking tray keeps things secure — no accidental escapes on the way to the door. It sure beats a plastic cup with a thin piece of paper slid under it!

Features

• Sliding tray with locking detent — a small bump holds the tray shut so the bug stays put while you carry it outside.
• Retention ridge prevents the tray from sliding all the way out and disconnecting from the top.
• Diamond cross-section wing tabs make the tray self-retaining — it slides smoothly but won't fall off.
• Angular roof design — the more sloped configurations can be printed completely without supports, making it faster and cheaper to print.
• Fully parametric — a .scad file (OpenSCAD) is included so you can tweak every dimension to your exact needs.

What's Included

Pre-configured STL files in two sizes, ready to print:

• Small (75 x 50) — great for spiders and smaller insects
• Large (100 x 75) — for bigger bugs, moths, or anything you'd rather not get too close to

Each size includes both the top and tray as separate STL files.

Print Recommendations

• Materials: PETG or PLA both work well. I've printed sets in both.
• Translucent filament: My dream was to print this in a fully transparent material — the best I've been able to achieve is translucent, but that's actually perfect. You can see through it just enough to confirm you've actually caught the bug before sliding the tray shut!
• Supports: Configurations with a steeper roof slope (lower Roof Start Percent) print without any supports. The default settings are optimized for support-free printing.
• Layer height: 0.2mm works great. Finer layers will give smoother slides on the tray track.

Assembly

Pretty straightforward — just slide the tray into the top. The end with the small ridge on it is the side that goes in first. It takes a little pressure to get past the ridge the first time, but that's by design — the ridge is what keeps the tray from falling off when you slide it open. Once it's past, the tray slides freely along the track.

Customization (OpenSCAD)

The included .scad file is fully parametric and compatible with the MakerWorld Customizer. Adjustable parameters include box length, width, height, taper amount, roof slope, handle size, ventilation holes, and more. Open it in OpenSCAD or use the online Customizer to dial in your perfect bug catcher.

A Note from Me

This is my first model on MakerWorld, and I'm still trying to find the optimal posting method — so any feedback on the listing, the print profiles, or the design itself is very much appreciated! Drop a comment and let me know what you think.

Enjoy, and happy (humane) bug catching!